


Knowing

by wisia



Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 21:53:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1999293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of drabbles, ficlets and one shots of Helga and Brainy, together or not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shrine

**Author's Note:**

> Just cross-posting from LJ. 
> 
> \----
> 
> It was originally written and posted out of order. But it's in order here.
> 
> \--------  
> Brainy sneaks a peek at Helga’s shrine.

“Get out!”

She was quivering with rage. Brainy paled. As Helga strode toward him, he noticed that she was actually trembling. Not with rage as he had thought, but with fear. She shoved him, and even though he expected the violent action, Brainy still found himself stumbling backward, knocked into the bookshelf behind him. He said the only thing he could.

“So, you have a shrine too.”

Not that he had a shrine. For her. To her. All he had were a few scull scrap of her words. For  _him_. Not him. But he lied all the same.

Helga’s lips were drawn tight and thin. She was beautifully terrifying, standing in the middle of her domain.

“What did you say?”

Brainy wondered if he shouldn’t had lied, but went on with it.

“You have a shrine too. Mine isn’t as pretty though.”

And that was true. If he did have a shrine, it wouldn’t be as nice. Shelves with notebooks of poetry and writing, yearbooks, scrapbooks. A football head monument and it wasn’t. Even with his glasses askew, Brainy could see that Arnold was fading. Wasn’t as big of a hold in her life as before. Yeah, he was lying to himself.

He coughed hard as Helga slugged him in the stomach. Her punches were always all out.

“If you tell anyone, bucko, it’ll be more than that.”

Brainy wheezed and nodded. Helga’s expression soften slightly.

“Do you want to see what I’m working on?” Helga asked.

Brainy nodded, and Helga pulled out a notebook. He always loved to listen to her voice even if it was about another guy.

She paused to glance at him briefly, “and don’t you dare fall asleep on me! I’ll sucker punch you to hell.”

Then, she read and he couldn’t even say what she did to him. He wasn’t poetic like she was. It was totally worth sneaking a peek at her shrine though, he supposed, their history project was doom.


	2. Last Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last high school dance…

She was crying. And he hated that. But there was no one else but him, and he already told Phoebe that he’ll take care of it. They had both seen her, storming off the dance floor. He thought there was progress. After all, that man (and he was a good man no matter how much Brainy would argue and rail against his denseness and obliviousness) was dancing with her. He sighed. The key word was “was”. He loosened his tie and settled onto the stairs, two steps below her. He winced at the coldness of the cement, seeping into the thin fabric of his pants and waited.

It was only when she was sniffling and her breathes were more even then Helga scooted down one step to awkwardly hug him from behind. He didn’t dare move, afraid that one touch would spook the already fragile girl. Strong but fragile…way too fragile once barriers were broken down and resolves crumpled down to nothing. Not that he ever did. Those were reserved for one person only, and he saw, why he saw the aftermath.

“Why are you here, Brainy?” Her voice was soft, traces of her tears and broken heart gone and replaced with steel.

“I’m your stalker, aren’t I?” He joked, hoped that it would helped. She chuckled.

“You want a taste of Old Betsy and the Five Avengers?”

“Well, I kind of miss it,” he admitted too honestly. Her punches were killer and everyone that knew her stayed clear of pissing her off, but it held too much of a fond memory for Brian.

“Right,” Helga said. She smacked him then, lightly on the shoulder and pulled back. She didn’t like to be touched or to touch anyone for too long. Except for him…always him.

“What happen?” The words slipped out before he could stop it. He never asked. Not once during the many other times he had come across her, teary eye or desolate. He never pried and she never confided. Not to him, maybe to Phoebe. Brainy could feel her stiffening, and he almost laughed because she, Helga, might just punch him after all.

“We disagreed,” came the words silent and short. Brainy nodded. It was because of their impending graduation and separation once June came. Different colleges and Helga love too much and Arnold loved but was unsure. He stood up abruptly and turned, gazing down at her.

“Last dance,” he said simply. Then he walked away. As he walked down the hall, back to the dance, he saw Arnold rushing past him, down the hall he just came from.

“The last dance,” he muttered quietly to himself. Then he found Lila, and Lila knew as they danced the last dance.

“They won’t last, will they?” She commented. He didn’t reply, just spun her around and thought, the last dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After writing the first one…I’m on a roll. This one takes place before Knowing. I like to think Brainy and Lila had some kind of friendship or something going on. Maybe they were together. I haven’t quite decided on that yet. Maybe in a future one.


	3. His Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brainy didn’t see just how much the stress there was between Arnold and Helga till it was too late.

“So, what are you doing here?”

Brian flinched, but it didn’t stop him moving forward to where Helga sat. She was smoking, a cigarette between her fingers, smoke leaking from the end, collecting ash.

“I was looking for you,” he replied. Helga snorted and flicked her cigarette into the water, “more like checking up on me, isn’t it?”

Brian swallowed. “No, only part of the reason. I really was looking for you.”

Helga snorted again, but didn’t have a retort. Brian hesitantly came closer. Just as he was about to sit down, Helga snarled at him.

“Not there. Sit on my left.”

Brian glanced at the right spot, but understood. It was  _his_ spot. Brian held back a sigh and took the seat on Helga’s left. His legs were long and that made his feet only a few feet away from the swirling water below. It was a windy day at the pier. Helga didn’t look cold at all. She looked rather warm, and she had pulled out a second stick to light and smoke.

“When did you start smoking?”

Helga eyed him suspiciously, “I think you should know. What kind of stalker are you if you can’t even get that right?”

“I’ve been…doing other things,” Brian admitted. He was too busy tracking down  _him_ , talking to Lila and Gerald and everything was as dead as it could be. Helga laughed.

“Even my stalker’s too busy to care. Well, you want to know?”

He looked at her, not quite comprehending.

“Well,” Helga demanded. “Do you really want to know, Brainy? I’m a fucking mess! Arnold’s off, and even though everyone says that happens—it’s normal for there to be tension because we’re so far away from each other—oh, fuck!”

Helga cradled her head in her knees, having drawn them up. Her second stick was lost somewhere in the water. The wind was still biting.

“It can work out,” Brian said. He loved her, but he didn’t want her to be sad. Even if it wasn’t him.

“Don’t give me that bullshit,” Helga snipped. “Like everything’s all cream and peaches. Just look at my blow hard of a dad.”

Helga snorted again, burrowing further into her knees. Her eyes were closed.

“I said, it  _can_  work out,” Brian stressed. “Not that it will. God knows that it’s not always will. I know it. But I just thought it can work out. More so because it’s you two, even if you were dancing around each other all the time.”

“Too late for that,” Helga muttered.

“Nothing’s too late,” Brian countered.

Helga looked up at Brian, and he was caught in the mesmerizing blue.

“We broke up,” Helga said bluntly. “A month ago.”

Brian stared at her. She nodded to herself absently, “yup. A month ago. Thirty two fucking days ago.”

The wind continued to howl, and Brian didn’t try to offer any words of comfort. It wouldn’t be appreciated, and it wasn’t wanted. Instead, they just sat there. Two souls looking out onto the blue as the sun set in front of the pier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well…I don’t know. I actually like this, but I feel like it’s missing something. I think this gives me an idea for a fifth part. Anyway, I just like to imagine that Brainy will be the one to find Helga—especially since Brainy was supposed to encourage Helga in the movie that never happened.


	4. Her First Kiss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian didn’t think the first time he really got to kiss Helga would be like this.

“You don’t want this,” Brian groaned as Helga ran her hands in his hair.

“Yes. I do,” Helga replied back. She kissed him. He couldn’t help it. Brian kissed her back just as hard. He could feel her hands sliding down the sides of his chest. She tugged at his shirt, loosening it from and out of his pants. Then, it was off. He almost whimpered when he felt her cool fingers drawing patterns and circles on his stomach. Then, Helga broke their kiss and trailed her lips down his neck. She bit down and licked. Brian couldn’t really think. It was heaven. To actually be kissing Helga, even though he wasn’t really doing anything. He wasn’t a virgin by any means, but he had only slept with one girl in his entire life. Brian groaned again, and he thought, this isn’t real. This can’t really be happening.

_This can’t really be happening._

That single thought brought Brian back to reality. He pushed Helga away, panting, “You don’t want this, Helga.”

“I do,” Helga growled. She tried to press her lips to Brian, but he refused.

“No, you don’t!” Brian stood up abruptly, and Helga dropped to the floor. She glared at him from the floor.

“I’m not going to sleep with you.”

“Isn’t it what you’ve always wanted?”

“Yes,” Brian snapped. “But not like this. I won’t be your substitute. Not for him.”

Brian fled the room. He wanted her, but not like this. He smiled grimly to himself. That was the first time Helga had ever kissed him willingly, without him even initiating it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another sad sort of thing. I think that even if Brainy and Helga had a relationship with each other, there would still be some shadows between them both, all because of Arnold. Not that they can’t have a happy life together, but I think the early stages of their relationship would have quite a number of bumps. In this one, Brainy and Helga still aren’t together, but it’s getting there.


	5. Dangers of Magnets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was nothing Brian could have done, especially if Arnold was coming back.

She came to him, tears and red cheeks. She wasn’t pretty by any means—how many people did with snot running down their noses? But, she was pretty to him and Brian knew that something had gone wrong. He should have known, especially when  _he_  came back. He was back for a visit home, after all, the man was going to graduate next year—then with his newly gained degree, he was off to Africa or whatever place that needed a good man like him to volunteer and help. They were like magnets to each other. They just couldn’t stay away from each other even if it brought them both pain.

Brian sighed and just motioned for Helga to come in. Brian always found it ironic that Helga would use the window to enter his room. It made him feel almost like  _him_ , the person that Helga would love for all time, even if the world ends. Helga sniffed and crawled over to him. Brian wished she was in his bed for an entirely different reason.

“What happened?”

Helga went completely still, even her sniffles had stopped at the innocent question.

“Did you argue with him?” Brian asked. “I mean—“

“I slept with him,” Helga said, breaking Brainy off. She looked down. “I slept with him.”

Brian stiffened but there was nothing he could do.

“Are you back together?” Brian managed to choke out.

“No.” Helga shook her head. “We’re not.”

Then, she was crying again, and Brian cursed the football head boy. He was always left picking up the pieces. When she fell asleep, Brian quietly eased himself off the bed. He picked up his cell and rang Phoebe. Phoebe answered quickly.

“Brainy! Is Helga with you?”

“Yes,” Brian sighed. “She is. She’s sleeping now.”

“That’s good—I didn’t think…what happened?” Phoebe’s voice was full of anxiety and worry. It made Brian feel vindicated. That there was someone who saw how bad Arnold and Helga were to each other. How their pull together was just an explosion lying in the wait.

“They…slept together,” Brian said.

“Oh dear,” Phoebe said. There was a pause and then she said, “They do this every summer.”

“I know,” Brian said. There was another pause. Then, “I’ll drop her at your place tomorrow.”

Phoebe agreed, and Brian was left staring at the beautiful blond girl in his bed. They always had the strongest magnetic pull to each other. There was nothing Brian could have done, especially if Arnold was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This just came out strange to me as well. Why does it feel like everything I write for this pairing comes off kind of weird? I should say this is somewhat of a sad piece.


	6. Knowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brian never doubted his love for Helga. The only one who ever needed convincing was Helga herself.

"Do you think you love me?" She asked. Her words were soft, quiet and heated as they always were.

"I know so," he solemnly declared.

Helga stared at him, and he stared back, unwillingly to back down. She didn’t punch him as she would have in the past. Instead, she broke off into a torrid of words – an avalanche crashing down upon a lonely mountain side, and he was the sole recipient. And he wasn’t mad. Instead, he was delighted. It thrilled Brian to his bones to be on the receiving end of her tirade. Even if it wasn’t loving. Even if it wasn’t anything but anger, despair and grief and everything complicated rolled into one raw jagged form because it was passionate. That touched him more than the words even if all she claimed to convey were by words. He kissed her. Briefly. A half second peck.

She slapped him.

"What the hell was that for?" Helga was practically hissing, and her blue eyes were dark at his impudence, for his daring.

"That was proof," he said. He pulled Helga flushed against his chest and kissed her again. She didn’t protest. He’ll like to think it was because she wanted him, but that was far too delusionary even for himself. She wanted to be distracted. He wouldn’t let her. Brian broke the kiss, and she was looking up at him, out of breath and pink and lovely.

"I know so that I love you," he said. "My love for you is like your love for Arnold. I don’t care if you believe it. Just know I’m here. Use me."

"I—", Helga faltered. "You know I’m selfish. I can’t give you what you want."

Brian smiled. “I’ll take whatever you can give me.”

"I’m not…"Helga trailed off, unsure of how to word it. He knew, of course.

"Don’t say it," he commanded.

"Do you think you love me?" She repeated her words from before. He laughed.

"Darling, you only want me to say it multiple times, don’t you? I love you. I love you. I love you. I absolutely love you, Miss Helga Geraldine Pataki."

This time she kissed him. It wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but then again Brian never got what he wanted anyway. That was fine. That was fine for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Always wanted to write something with Briany and Helga…just couldn’t find a way to go about it. And well, short piece is short piece. I’m not sure if I conveyed it well enough. It sounds rather sappy, and I’m not sure if I’m characterizing Brainy correctly, but oh well. This is set probably…in senior year of high school or in their college years. Obviously, Arnold is somewhere else or with someone else for the piece to be as it is. Well, happy reading of my botched attempt to capture a relationship between Brainy and Helga.

**Author's Note:**

> This one…who knows when it takes place. Sometime in high school. Maybe before “Last Dance”. But Helga and Arnold aren’t together yet. I should probably make a timeline for all these pieces somewhere if I write anymore…


End file.
